RJHS East falls to Lady PanthersCourier sports staff The Russellville Junior High School East Whirlwinds volleyball team dropped Monday's match against the Greenbrier Lady Panthers. The eighth-grade team lost both games 9-25. Shakayla Rowser had two points and two aces in the loss. The ninth-grade team dropped the first game, 10-25. Jaimie Long had two blocks in the loss. In the second game 12-25 loss, Mary Carol Davis had three points and two blocks, Long had a block and a ...

Classmates today, opponents last nightRJHS East meets RJHS West on volleyball court By Quinton Bagley Sports Editor Whirlwind Gymnasium was rocking Wednesday night as the Russellville Junior High East Lady Whirlwinds met the RJHS West Lady Whirlwinds in conference volleyball action. The Lady East 'Winds won three of the four contested matches. Ninth-grade matches RJHS East won the ninth-grade "A" match 2-0 (25-16, 25-14). In the first game, Danielle Hudson scored six service point...

East 'Winds winlessCabot North runs away with 30-6 victory Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Those who were not attending the Pope County Fair on Thursday were watching the Russellville Junior High East Whirlwinds at Cyclone Stadium as they lost 30-6. The home fans were hoping for some fireworks, and they got them from Matt Freeman in the third quarter on a 68-yard touchdown punt return. Freeman had a big run on the first play of scrimmage with a 34-ya...

Local volleyball teams dig up winsRussellville beats Pulaski Academy Courier sports staff The Lady Cyclones won on the road Tuesday night at Pulaski Academy 25-18, 25-12 and 25-10. "It was a good match," Russellville head volleyball coach Cindy Jones said. "We got to play a lot of different players who stepped up and did a good job for us. I'm proud of our team." Jones said the team played well, and Autumn Stewart had an incredible night with 14 kills. Cody Brookhouser had nin...

Difficult road for area volleyball teamsRJHS West, RMS East and West struggle in mid-week competition Courier sports staff Russellville Junior High West traveled to Vilonia on Wednesday to face the junior Lady Eagles. The West Lady Whirlwinds came up short as they lost both matches to Vilonia. In the ninth-grade match, RJHS West lost the match 2-1 (25-22, 15-25, 19-25). Kim Garrett had seven service aces and three kills. Whitley Adkins had nine service aces. In the eighth-grade game...

West 'Winds get tied upWest defense stays tough, ties Kimmons Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Twelve points, two tough defenses and a malfunctioning scoreboard - what does that equal? It meant a 6-6 tie between the Fort Smith Kimmons Red Raiders and the Russellville Junior High West Whirlwinds Thursday night at Russellville High School's Cyclone football stadium. "Overall, I think we stopped a very great team. They have tons of skill out there," RJHS Wes...

Nobody's perfectGreenbrier ends RJHS East volleyball team's undefeated season Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Having an undefeated season is something every sports team dreams of before the season starts. Going into Wednesday's match against Greenbrier, the Russellville Junior High School East Lady Whirlwinds were a perfect 4-0 with a 1-0 conference record, but the Lady Panthers pulled the upset over the East Winds taking Game 1 18-25 and Game 2 1...

East vs. WestRJHS East and RJHS West battle in season opener By Quinton Bagley Sports Editor Russellville Junior High's East and West volleyball teams meet for their season opener Monday night at Whirlwind Gymnasium. The West won the eighth-grade "B" game, and the East won the eighth-grade "A" and ninth-grade "A" games. Ninth-grade 'A' game East 25-3, 25-8 The East Lady Whirlwinds picked up where they left off last season as they never gave their West coun...

Shockers finish in Top 10 of World SeriesMichael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The Arkansas Shockers 14-under division team competed in the USSSA World Series in Hutchinson, Kan., this summer coming away ninth in the nation for their division. The Shockers started the World Series with a 4-3 win in extra innings over the Southwest Eclipse. Taylor Jones went the distance on the mound and had a couple of hits to help her own cause. Lakyn George had two hits and two runs scored to...

Taking a knee with the RJHS West WhirlwindsWest 'Winds step up their leadership Edgin says team will switch from passing to running game Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor As the Arkansas River Valley and most of the southeastern United States continues to be under a heat advisory, Russellville Junior High School's West football team continues to go work every day. Coach Josh Edgin said the heat hasn't really affected what his players can and can't do on the field. He said the...

Mustangs' season endsErrors end season for Russellville Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The Cogswell Motors Mustangs, Russellville's American Legion baseball team's season has come to an end. It just wasn't meant to be for the Mustangs who committed six errors plating eight unearned runs. Russellville finished the season 13-16 after a 10-8 loss to Jacksonville. "I thought it was a pretty successful season, we beat some pretty good successful teams. The...

Predators win consolation bracket during Super Series World SeriesPredators rally to become consolation bracket winners Courier sports staff The River Valley Predators competed in the Super Series World Series on a national scale July 14-20 and came away winners of the consolation bracket. The Predators went 0-3 in pool play, putting them in the consolation bracket. In the first matchup in the consolation bracket they faced the Arkansas Blaze, which they had previously beat 14-4. Blake Henderson led the offe...

Mustangs back on trackMichael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Russellville's American Legion baseball team, the Cogswell Motors Mustangs, finally got to play a game Friday night after a week of rainouts. The Mustangs wasted little time in making the game short as they defeated Mayflower 12-2 in five innings. "We did a real good job with runners in scoring position and this is the first time, I think all season, that we've jumped on a team real early," Cogswell ...

Mustangs fall to Sylvan Hills 5-1Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor Independence Day was Wednesday, but the Russellville Cogswell Motors Mustangs American Legion baseball teams offense was hoping for some fireworks from their bats Thursday night at M.J. Hickey Park. Instead, they gave up a towering two-run home run in the fifth inning that would put the Sylvan Hill Bruins ahead 5-0. The Mustangs could only put together an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to lo...

Mustangs on the right trackCourier sports staff The Cogswell Motors Mustangs, Russellville's American Legion baseball team, picked up a much needed win Sunday as they defeated Hot Springs Lakeside 6-4. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Garrett Hill hit a three-run home run to give the Mustangs the victory. "We are playing a lot better now," Cogswell Motors coach Rob Vessell said. "We are playing the way we were at the beginning of the season." The Mustangs (7-9) ...

Struggling Mustangs pick up valuable win TuesdayBy Michael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor The Coswell Motors Mustangs, Russellville's American Legion baseball team, reversed roles with Mayflower on Tuesday night at M. J. Hickey Park and took advantage of two huge errors in the thrid inning that plated five runs. The Mustangs came away with a 9-1 victory in five innings, their first home win of the season. "They've done a great job all year. To be going through a stage like we've been g...

Predators prepare for stateMichael Christopher Assistant Sports Editor What comes to mind when you think of anteaters? The University of California-Irvine Anteaters who are currently one of eight team's left in the College World Series, should hopefully come to mind. Geno Chiolino, coach of the River Valley Predators, said he compares his 13-year-old team to the Anteaters. The Predators will compete at 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday at Hickey Park in the 8-13 USSSA State Basebal...

Hickey Park to host USSSA baseball tournamentFor The Courier M.J. Hickey Park will host the USSSA 14-under AA pre-state shoot-out tournament beginning today with four games of pool play, four more games Saturday of pool play with the final day of competition Sunday. The Clarksville Cardinals will play the Conway Vipers to begin the tournament in Pool A at 7 p.m. today. The River Valley Predators will open the tournament against the Conway RiverDawgs at 7 p.m. in Pool B competition. Other...

Cogswell Motors runs away with victoryCourier sports staff The Fort Smith Tournament kicked off Friday at Hunts Park with the Cogswell Motors baseball team defeating Van Buren 7-1 in American Legion baseball. The team went perfect stealing 11 out of 11 bases. Cogswell Motors scored most of its runs in the sixth inning and got a complete-game performance from Nick Wilson. Wilson went seven innings, striking out 10 men while only walking one and giving up an unearned run. Cogswell s...